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Pyramid of Cestius

The pyramid of cestius is associated with an ancient pyramid placed in rome of italy

Close to the orifice of san paolo, therefore, habitually complaining land site

It stands at a fork between two ancient roads through ostensis and another road that goes west to the Tiber on the approximate line of the trendy via Della marmorata that is locatable to its incorporation into the city's rampart, it has nowadays became the one in all best-preserved ancient buildings in Rome. The pyramid was engineered throughout 18 B.C. to 12 B.C. as a vault for Caligula Cestius, a functionary and member in one of the four nice beatific companies in Rome, the Septemviri Epulonum. It is of brick-faced concrete coated with slabs of white marble standing on a shape foundation, activity a hundred Roman feet at the bottom and standing one hundred and 25 Roman high.

In the interior is that the sepulture, an easy barrel-vaulted rectangular cavity that is 595 metres long, 4.10 metre wide and 480 metres high. Once it had been rediscovered in 1660, the chamber was found to be decorated with frescoes, that were recorded by Pietro Santi Bartoli, however, solely the scantest traces of those currently stay. There was no trace left on the other contents within the grave, which had been looted in antiquity. The grave had been sealed once it had been designed, with no exterior entrance.

Till the top of restoration works in 2015

It had been impossible for guests to access inside, except by special permission generally only granted to students. Since the start of 2015, the pyramid is hospitable for general public by each second and fourth weekday monthly. Guests should announce their visit ahead. It took 330 days to build it, as evidenced by an inscription carved on the side of eastern facade of the monument, in fact, Gaius Cestius clearly ordered in his will to the heirs, who innalzassero the tomb within such terms or risk losing the rich legacy, it is said that the relatives hurried so much to fulfil the wishes of their loved ones, that construction ended even with a few days in advance!

Design of pyramid of cestius

The walls are frescoed in keeping an ornamental theme consisting of panels, which are often distinguished, on a lightweight background, figures of nymphs alternating with physic vases. At the top and corners of the arch, four-winged Victories are present where all bearing in her hands a crown and a ribbon. At the centre, originally there was an expectation of a scene depiction of apotheosis for an incumbent of the burial chamber. The restoration of the tomb was dead by the archaeological direction of Rome in 2001. Then in 2011, some interventions were signified and by November 2012, construction work began to erect the staging required to hold out the restoration work of this pyramid that was sponsored by a Japanese patron!